McCaugheys concession to Pontiac baseball

Friday

Jul 20, 2012 at 12:01 AMJul 20, 2012 at 7:04 PM

Marc Edwards' column

Marc Edwards

Writing the article last week about the renovation of Lions Park got me thinking about the city parks that I remember watching games at back in the day. In the late 1970s there were Lions, Humiston, Play Park and Jaycee Park.
One thing that remained constant at all the parks was the “concession stand” on wheels. None of the parks had permanent concession stands at the time, but every night you could get your fill of popcorn, soda, hot dogs, candy bars and bubble gum, thanks to Don and Mary McCaughey.
I first met Don and Mary at Lions Park when I was umpiring games. The big, white truck would pull up and park behind the bleachers on Locust Street. Don and Mary were the “original” Good Humor Ice Cream people for Pontiac.
You could get anything from the truck — Popsicles, Fudgesicles, Dreamsicles, Drumstick ice cream cones, orange-flavored push-ups and more. Kids would flock to the truck like ants scurrying to an open sugar packet.
Don and Mary didn’t need those annoying chimes or bells to announce they were in the neighborhood; all they had to do was park the vehicle.
Don always had a smile on his face when I stopped between games (two games a night at the park was the norm). He’d always greet me with the same salutation, “what will you have, Harry?” Harry is my nickname, and that’s how the McCaugheys knew me. Actually, that’s not completely true, the fans really thought my first name was “Harry.” Even though people knew me as Marc Edwards, everyone called me “Harry” back then.
Don and Mary also had the best kind of bubble gum — Bazooka, the one that came in a rectangle that had a Bazooka Joe comic on the inside. You could save the comics and get a prize. You had to save so many and I can’t remember anyone I knew saving enough to get a prize.
One time I was umpiring at Humiston Park and the truck pulled up on the third base side and parked. You couldn’t park on Division Street because of the prison. The truck blocked the site of Terry and Margo McCoy, who sat on their front lawn to watch the Little League games. Back then the neighborhood parks were a family gathering place, either at the park or on your front lawn.
Jokingly, you could hear Margo shout to move the truck because she and her husband couldn’t see the game. Don and Mary would only stay about 30 minutes at each ballpark. They did a good business on those warm June and July nights.
A lot of times daughter Michelle would help mom and dad out. It got to be real hectic as they “hit” all four parks on a nightly basis.
Don and Mary were also the concession truck at many estate sales and auctions that were held in and around Livingston County. Don and Mary put out a good lunch for those in attendance. Adults knew the McCaugheys put out a good product. Don and Mary would set up early and stay until the last customer got fed.
That was back in the late 1970s and ’80s. Mary passed away a few years ago but Don is still going strong. He can be seen every Friday night during February and March helping with St. Mary’s Catholic Church fish fries. And four or five times a year, he’s volunteering to help with Sunday morning breakfasts.
He’s not as spry as he once was, but at 94 he gets around pretty well. No walker or cane, he just walks a little slower than when I first met him and his wife.
I just hope if I make it to 94, I have as much energy as Don does.